I would take both kit or ARF.
If I had room I would go with a kit every now and then just for the fact that I enjoy building kits. There is a much more reward to completing a kit. Building a kit shows the workmanship of each individual on what they are capable of. Then again after you build one you are so damn paranoid to put a ding in it or totally crash it sits more than fly. Or you need to chain smoke before each flight.

On the other hand if you want to get in air much faster an ARF is way to go. But there are ones to buy and not to buy. I would recomend just ordering that pretty looking plane us seen on internet or in magazine without knowing about it. Nowdays the good quality ARF's are known by most everyone and are very good planes. They have come so far than what they used to be like when they first started comming out.

You will notice some ARF's are very cheap while others the same size or type plane are much more costly. There is a reason for the price difference and it shows in the plane in most cases. I am sure you could come across a lemon but usually there is nothing to worry about.

Either way you cant loose....It is just a matter on what you feel like doing whether its building or assembling a good quality ARF. Both can last as long as you want them to, keping them from smacking the ground is up to you.

For one thing I would not make a judgement on a one bad experience. As formyself I get either one just depends on what i feel like messing with.